Mobile commode



April 27, 1937.

MOBILE COMMODE Filed Feb. 24, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 27, 1.937. E. F. sALsBURY 2,078,415

' MOBILE COMMODE v Filed Feb. 24, 193 2 sheets-'sheet 2 1== v3-5 "bur/ll A INVENTOR.

, ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to means serving as toilet facilities, particularly on vehicles, and is especially suited for use in automobiles and trailers wherein the supply of water is limited and space is at a premium.

An object of my invention is to provide a mobile commode which will afford satisfactory toilet facilities in a very limited space.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mobile commode which utilizes a small amount of water.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mobile commode which can be installed as a unit in various different environments without material change.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a mobile commode the mechanical operation of which is simple.

The foregoing and other objects are attained in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, in which- Fig. l is a cross-section, on a vertical diametral plane, of a mobile commode constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section the plane of which is indicated by the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section longitudinally on the axis of a pump utilized in the mobile commode of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the pump of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section the plane of which is indicated by the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a cross-section the plane of which is indicated by the line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

In its preferred form, the mobile commode of my invention incorporates a septic tank above which is disposed a -toilet bowl suitably mounted on a shell extending adjustably into the septic tank and communicating therewith. A movable cup holds a water seal at the outlet of the toilet bowl and is designed to be operated simultaneously with the operation of a water pump for supplying the cup with water.

In the preferred form of mobile commode i1- lustrated in the drawings, the structure is designed for mounting on a oor 6 in any suitable locality. This floor is usually the iioor of a vehicle, such as a trailer or a bus, and varies in thickness in different installations. At a suitable location on the floor I provide an aperture 1 below which is mounted a septic tank 8 preferably secured to the floor by suitable fastenings 9. The tank can be fabricated in any desired way and can be of any shape and capacity which are dictated by surrounding circumstances and conditions. In the present instance the tank is provided with a removable bottom member I I, which can be detached periodically for major cleaning or inspection, but which normally is retained tightly in connection with the upper structure I2 of the tank. A combined air vent I3 and liquid overflow is preferably formed integrally with the upper structure I2 to afford a discharge outlet for excessive liquid contents of the tank and to allow air ingress to the tank.

The principal discharge of the tank is preferably through a flap valve I4 located at the bottom of asump- IB terminating the sloping bottom II of the tank. The flap valve I4 is mounted on a hinge I1 and is moved by a lever I8 pivotally joined to an operating rod I9 extending above the oor 6 and terminating in a hand button 2|. A coil spring 22, surrounding the rod I9 and interposed between the floor 6 and an abutment 23 on the rod, serves normally to maintain the flap valve I4 in closed position. When the hand button 2l is raised against the urgency of the spring 22, the lever I8 is operated to open the flap valve I4 and to permit the contents of the tank to discharge. If desired, the tank can contain bacterial or chemical agents, according to customary practice with septic tanks.

Mounted above the floor 6 is a supporting shell 26 which preferably is a metal structure somewhat conical in shape and reduced in diameter at its lower end to form a sleeve 21 extending into v the interior of the tank 8. The shell 26 is provided with a peripheral flange 28 which rests upon a supporting base 29 secured to the floor by the fastenings 9. Since the thickness of the licor 6 varies in different installations, the sleeve 21 will extend into the tank varying amounts. In order to permit the variable positioning of these two elements and at the same time to provide a tight seal or connection therebetween, I preferably form the upper structure I2 of the tankto provide anA annular groove 3| encompassing the sleeve 2T to receive a resilient packing 32, such as a rubber tube, seated within the groove and tightly abutting the external wall of the sleeve 2l.

The upper part of the supporting shell 26 is outwardly iianged to support a ring 33, suitably secured thereto and serving as a support for the customary hinge 34 to which a standard toilet seat 36 and cover 3l are fastened. Interposed between the flanged upper end of the supporting shell 26 and the ring 33 is the upper flange 38 of a toilet bowl 39, having an outlet aperture 4I in the lower portion thereof. The toilet bowl 39 communicates through the outlet 4| and through the sleeve 21 with the interior of the septic tank 8, but normally such communication is prevented by a suitable sealing means.

I preferably provide a partially spherical cup 42 to underlie the circular outlet 4! and to contain a body i3 of water rising above the bottom terminus of the outlet il to afford a water seal. The cup 42 is provided with a boss de fastened to a cross rod i5 mounted in journals 4l on the supporting shell 2t. One extremity of the cross rod i6 carries a lever :i8 terminating in a handle 4S so that when the handle is suitably manipulated the cup i2 is moved out of its sealing posi'- tion, the body of water i3 therein is dumped, and communication is established between the toilet bowl and the interior of the septic tank.

The body of water i3 is preferably replenished from any suitable source of water, and in many installations the water can be supplied gravitationally and can be under the control of a butterfly or other type of valve. In other installations it is necessary to lift the water against gravity to a suitable elevation. But in most cases it is desirable to meter or measure the water reasonably accurately to the minimum amount necessary to provide the water seal, since ordinarily the Supply or" water is not great and the capacity of the septic tank to receive waste water is small. I therefore provide, Vin accordance with my invention, a means which is not only elective to raise water from a low source, if necessary, but is especially effective to act as a meter to measure Out a predetermined quantity of water for each operation of the commode.

Mounted on the base 29 Vis a pump barrel 5l having an inlet 52 to which a suitable fitting 53 is engageable for connection to any suitable source of water supply. Within the barrel 5I is a foot valve 5d, and reciprocable within the barrel iii is a pump plunger 56 having a piston 5l at the lower end thereof and a discharge valve 58 for contro-lling the flow of water through apertures be into an outlet 6I at the upper end of the barrel 5l. A packing gland 62 seals the plunger 56 in the barrel. From the outlet 6l a conduit'SS leads to a distributing tube 64 having outlet apertures E therein at suitable locations and disposed within the upper portion of the toilet bowl Se and protected by a guard band 61 disposed between the iiange 3S and the ring 33.

The upper end of the plunger 56 terminates in a cross-head 'il to which links 'l2 are pivotally attached. The links extend to connections by pivot pins 13 with levers 'M mounted on and pinned to the cross shaft 45, so that the pump plunger 56 is operated when the handle 49 is operated. A coil spring lli is preferably fastened to the base 2S and to the pins 'i3 to restore the parts to their inactive position.

The mechanism is normally in the position shown in Fig. l, but when the lever 49 is moved anti-clockwise, as seen in Fig. l, the cup 42 is moved out of sealing position, the body of water 43 therein is discharged into the septic tank 8, and the linkage simultaneously lifts the plunger 5B of the pump thereby causing a rapid discharge of a metered amount of water through the various apertures 66 into the toilet bowl 39. Vhen the lever "i9 is released, it is restored by rotation in a clockwise, direction, as seen in Fig. l, by action of the spring '16, and the cup 42 returns to its sealing position. The water just discharged from the apertures 66 by this time ows over the interior surface of the toilet 'bowl and gathers in the cup :i2 to provide a new body of water for sealing purposes. The return stroke of the pump plunger E@ operates the valves 54 and 58 in such a way that a new metered amount of water is in-duced to flow through the inlet 52 and to occupy a position within the pump valve 5I ready for discharge on a subsequent operation of the mechanism.

In accordance with my invention there is provided a mobile commode which can be installed in various environments with little or no changes thereof, which aifords a water Seal between the toilet bowl and the septic tank, which utilizes a minimum metered amount of water to provide such seal, and which is readily operated by the simple movement of a single lever. Excessive liquid content of the septic tank discharges automaticallyrto maintain a relatively constant level of liquid therein, while the septic tank can be entirely discharged or emptied from time to time by the simple manipulation of a hand button in a readily accessible location.

I claim:

1. A mobile commode comprising a septic tank, a toilet bowl disposed above said septic tank, a valve interposed between said toilet bowl and said septic tank, a pump for supplying water to said toilet bowl, and means for simultaneously moving said valve to discharge position and said pump to discharge water to said toilet bowl.

2. A mobile commode comprising a floor, a toilet bowl having an outlet therein, means for supporting said toilet bowl above said floor, a cup for holding a body of water to seal said outlet, a pump mounted on said supporting means for supplying water to said toilet bowl, and means mounted on said support for operating said pump to supply water to said bowl and simultaneously moving said cup to unseal said outlet.

3. A mobile commode comprising a septic tank, a rigid supporting shell extending any selected distance into said septic tank, a resilient packing between said tank and said shell and engaging said'shell in any selected position thereof, and a toilet bowl mounted in said shell and communieating with said tank.

4. A mob-ile commode comprising a septic tank, a supporting shell disposed above said septic tank and extending any selected amount thereinto, a resilient packing between said tank and said shell and engaging said shell in any selected position thereof, a toilet bowl mounted in said shell and. having an outlet communicating with said tank, a cup for holding a body of water to seal said outlet, means mounted on said shell for moving said cup into and out of sealing position, and means controlled by said moving means for supplying sai-d cup with water.

5. A mobile commode comprising a septic tank, a supporting shell disposed directly above said septic tank and extending any selected amount thereinto, a resilient packing between said tank and said shell and engaging said shell in any selected position thereof, a toilet bowl mounted centrally in said shell and having an outlet disposed directly above and communicating with said tank, a cup for sealing said outlet, means for moving said cup into and out of sealing position, means controlled by said moving means for supplying said cup with water, a drain in said tank, and means for opening and closing said drain.

ESLEY FOSTER SALSBURY. 

